Portable steam heater



-March 2 1926. 1,574,938

J. w. RUDDER PoR'rABLE STEAM HEATER Filed July 20 1925 All Z Joh/7 ZU.Budda/1,

y; @M-W jlw ` T llllllllllllilf Patented Mar. 2, 1926.

JOHN W. RUD'DER, OF MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA.

PORTABLE STEAM HEATER.

Application led July 20, 1925. Serial No. 44,829.

To all whom t may con/ccm: y

Be it known that I, JOHN W. RUDDER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Montgomery, in the county of Montgomery and State ofAlabama, have invented new and useful Improvements in Portable SteamI-Ieaters, of which the following is a specilication. K

The present invention relates to improvements in means for heating roomsand apartments, and has for its object to provide a simple, inexpensiveand durable heater, which may be readily moved from place to place, inwhich steam is employed as the heating medium.

The heater embodying the present invention is adapted to be employed`with a lamp or similar source of heat, and the construction provides forobtaining a maximum amount of heat from a body of low pressure steam, arelatively small supply of water only being required to maintain acontinuous action of the heater for a relatively long period.

In the accompanying drawing Figure 1` is an elevation of a heaterconstructed in accordance with the present in vention.

Figure 2 is a horizontal section substantially on the line 2*?. ofFigure 1.

Figure 3 is a vertical detail section on an enlarged scale.

Referring to the drawing, in the several views of which like parts aredesignated by the same reference characters, the body of the improvedheater includes a vertically elongated casing or shell 1, which isprovided with a plurality of supports or legs 2, terminating at theirlower ends in outwardly projecting feet 8. In the embodiment of y theinvention illustrated, four (4) such supports are shown, although inmany instances three (3) would sumce. In this connection it will beunderstood that there can be considerable variation from the detailsshown and hereinafter particularly described without departing from theinvention. The drawing merely illustrates an embodiment of the inventionand is not intended, except where details are specifically embodied inthe appended claims, to be in any sense restrictive of the invention.

The body 1 is supported by the legs 2 above any suitable source of heat4. This may, as shown in the drawing, be a suitable lamp. The body 1 issuitably closed at both shown, is connected by athread 6 with theV lowerend'of the body 1. This head orv end' piece 5 is formed with acentralopening,

ywhich is surrounded by a depending marginal wall 7, the inner surfaceof which is provided with a suitable thread. A sleeve 8 is threaded intothe depending portion of the end member 5, and extends below the endthereof. Onto this projecting portion of the sleeve or thimble 8 isscrewed a cap 9, which forms the bottom of the body.

A plate 1-0 fitted to a 4suitable seat, formed about the inner end ofthe sleeve or thimble 8, separates the main body 1 from a steamgenerating chamber, which is closed at its outer end'by thecap 9. Saidcap is provided with a series ofoutwardly projecting hollow nipples 11,closed at their outer ends, and communicating at their inner ends with'the steam generating chamber- A flaring skirt 12 surrounds the nipples11 and lower portion of the cap 9, serving to confine the heat from thelamp 4 about these portions of the steam generating chamber, so thatwater admitted thereto as hereinafter described will be rapidlyconverted into steam.

The water necessary for the steam to be generated is suppliedto thesteam generating chamber through a pipe 13, which extends throughout thelength of the steam generating chamber `and the body 1, to an elevatedreservoir 14. This pipe may be connected to the other parts in variousways. As shown, it is secured tothe wall of the cap 9 at the bottom ofthe steam generating chamber by the screw 15 and a nut 16 is providedabove the upper end of the body 1 to cooperate with a plate 17, whichextends laterally beyond the body 1 and over the upper ends of theconnections between such body and the radiator pipes hereinafterreferred to. Said supply pipe 13 is provided in the steam generatingchamber Y with a plurality of small lateral perforations 18, throughwhich the desired amount of water is permitted to flow' to the steamgenerating chamber.

The division plate 10 before referred to is shown as being held securelyin its seat by nuts 19 surrounding and engaging the pipe 13, althoughany other suitable means may be provided for holding this plate inposition and effecting a relatively steam tight joint between it and theinterior of the body 1.

The steam generated in the generating chamber formed between the plate10` and the cap 9 passes outward through connections 20 to a pluralityof vertical radiator pipes 21, the upper ends of which are in turnconnected with the interior of the body l, adj acent. the upper end, byconnections 22.

In practice the number of such radiator pipes will be considerablgreater than those illustrated. To simplify the illustration, theapparatus is shown as provided with only four (4) of such radiatorpipes. In practice, however, the heaters have been built with a veryconsiderably greater number, of such pipes, preferably eight (8v) orsixteen (16") being employed, the number, of course, varying with thesize of the .apparatus and the heating capacity for which each isdesign-ed'. i

The connection of the supply pipe 13 with the reservoir 14 includes acut off 23, and alsoV a sight glass 24, through which it is possible toobserve the flow of water from the reservoir to the steam generatingchamber.

An exhaust steam pipe or conduit 25 connects the interior of the casingor body 1 with the reservoir 14, and there is also preferably providedin thel top of the body 1 a suitable relief valve for use in case anymaterial: pressure should accumulate in that chamber.

About the lower end of the; body 1 above the steam generating chamber isarranged a second outwardly flaring skirt 80, which assists in confiningheat from the lamp 4 about they steamI generating chamber and lowerportion of the body yl of the apparatus'.

A drain outlet 31 is preferably provided for the body 1 and a like!outlet 32 extends through the bottom wall of thel steam generatingchamber.

It is believed that the manner of using and thev advantages of theimprovements will be readily understood from the foregoing descriptionand the drawing. The reservoir being suitably filled and the lamp orother source of heatV lighted, the steam generating chamber will bequickly heated. IVhen the cut ott` valve in the supp-ly pipe is opened,water in relatively fine streams will be discharged by said pipe intothe steam generating chamber and immediately vaporized. The steam thusproduced passing through the radiator pipes will quickly heat such pipesand the radiation therefrom willA heat the ail-rin the room. From theradiator pipes 21, the steam will pass into the main body or tubularcasing l and be exhausted through the connecting pipe into the upperportion .of the reservoir where it will be condensed. In case theresho-nld be an abnormal increase of pressure within the body 1, this willescape through the relief valve before referred to. A reservoir of onlysmall capacity is required. It has been found that anapparatus having areservoir capable of holding three (3) gallons of water i's ample for acontinuous operation of approximately twenty-four (24) hours.

The flow of water from the reservoir to the steam generating chamber isrelatively slow, and the water is convertedv into steam practicallyimmediately upon its entrance into such chamber.

It will be noted that all of the parts are of very simple constructionso that they may be readily assembled and the total weight and bulk ofthe apparatus is such that it is readily portable. rllhe invention thusprovides a means for readily heating rooms and apartments with steamheat, which can be easily moved from room to room, as occasion mayrequire, and which will require a minimum amount of'attention when inoperation.

I claim 1. A portable heater of the character described, comprising avertically elongated body interiorly divided into a lowersteamgenerating chamber and an upper steamreceiving chamber, means forsupporting said body above a source of heat, a reservoir positioned atthe upper end of the body, a water supply pipe connecting the reservo-irwith the steam generating chamber, a radiator pipe outside the bodyconnecting the steam-generating and receiving chambers of the body, anda conduit connecting the steam-receiving chamber with the reservoir.

2. A heating apparatus of the character described, comprising a verticalshell or casing, a closure for the lower end of said casing providing asteam-generating chamber separated from the body of the casing, meansfor supporting the casing above a source of heat, a flaring skirtsurrounding the steam-generating chamber and acting to confine the heatabout the low-er end of said chamber, a reservoir, a water supply pipeconnecting the reservoir with the interior of the steam-generatingchamber, radiator means connecting the steam-generating chamber abovethe plane of said skirt with the shell or casing above the steamgenerating chamber, and an exhaust steam conduitconnecting the casingwith the reservoir.

3. A heating apparatus of the character described, comprising a verticalshell or casing, a closure for the lower end of said casing providing asteamgenerating chamber separated from the body of the casing, a valveddrain outlet connected with the body of the casing above the generatingchamber, a drain outlet at the bottom of the steamgenerating chamber,means for supporting the casing above a source of heat, a reservoir, awater supply pipe connecting the reservoir with the steam-generatingchamber, radiator means connecting the steamgenerating chamber with theinterior of the casing above said chamber, and an exhaust steam pipeconnecting the upper end of the casing with the reservoir.

4l. A heating apparatus of the character described, comprising avertically elongated body interiorly divided into a lowersteamgenerating chamber, and an upper steamreceiving chamber, means forsupporting said body above a source of heat, a flaring skirt arrangedexteriorly of the steam-generating chamber and adapted to direct theheat against the bottom of said chamber, a second similar skirt on thebody above the steam-generating chamber, a reservoir, a water supplypipe leading from the reservoir into the steam-generating chamber,radiator means surrounding the elongated body and connecting the twochambers of said body, and an exhaust steam conduit connecting the upperchamber of the body with the reservoir.

5. A heating apparatus of the character described, comprising avertically elongated body interiorly divided into a lowersteamgenerating chamber and an upper steam receiving chamber, means forsupporting said body above a source of heat, a flaring skirt adapted todirect heat against the bottom of the body, a plurality of outwardlyprojecting hollow nipples closed at their outer ends arranged within thespace enclosed by said skirt and communicating with the steamgeneratingchamber, a reservoir, a water supply pipe leading from the reservoirinto the steam-generating chamber, radiator means outside the bodyconnecting the two chambers thereof, and an exhaust steam conduitconnecting the upper chamber of the body with the reservoir.

G. A heating apparatus of the character described, comprising a tubularshell having a bottom provided with a central opening surrounded by adepending flange and having an annular seat formed in its inner faceabout said opening, a plate fitted in said seat and extending across theopening, a cap connected with said flange and Jforming therewith andwith said plate a steam-generating chamber, means for supporting theshell with the steam-generating chamber above a source of heat, areservoir at the upper end of the tubular shell, a water supply pipeextending rom the reservoir through said top plate of thesteam-generating chamber into said chamber, radiator means outside theshell connecting the steam-generating chamber with the casing above saidchamber, and an exhaust steam conduit connecting the upper end of thecasing with the reservoir.

7. A heating apparatus of the character described, comprising a tubularshell having a bottom provided with a central opening surrounded by adepending lange and having an annular seat formed in its inner faceabout said opening, a plate fitted in said seat and extending across theopening, a cap connected with said flange and forming therewith and withsaid plate a steam-generating chamber, means-for supporting the shellwith the steam-generating chamber above the source of heat, a reservoirat the upper end of the tubular shell, a water-supply pipe having itsupper end connected with the reservoir and its lower end connected tothe bottom of the steam-generating chamber, said pipe extending throughthe plate forming the top of the steam-generating chamber and providedwithin said chamber with a plurality of lateral outlets, radiator meansoutside the shell connecting the steam-generating chamber with thecasing above said chamber, and an exhaust steam pipe connecting theupper end of the casing with the reservoir.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand. i

JOHN W. RUDDER.

